Sound of Freedom

"Sound of Freedom" is based on the true story of Tim Ballard as he tries to rescue abducted children from sex traffickers. The movie was produced by "Angel Studios", and actually was made back in 2018 but faced a number of delays and finally saw the light of day in 2023.

It is important to be able to separate the theme of a movie, with the quality of the movie. I am 100% in agreement with the movie's message. Child slavery is an awful thing and this great evil should be stamped out. But that isn't the question, the question is: How is the movie? It is pretty good.

It is a very tightly edited, there is not a wasted minute of screen time. It is very well acted, from Cavizel to the children, there was not a performance in the film that I didn't believe. The music was also good, it set up the suspense and enhanced the action.

Don't be fooled by the marketing and genre, I wouldn't really consider this film an "action movie". It is much more a drama. They do a good job with suspense, but for the most part it is more focused on the depth of the situation. When they do action, it isn't all that well edited. But I do understand, that is not the focus of the film.

The movie also loses me as it approaches its final act. Most of the film felt grounded and real, it is based on a true story after all. But then the movie adds a bonus scene, that feels like it is from a different film. It may have happened in real life, I am just saying in the film, it felt out of place.

Overall, it is a really good film. I am glad it is doing well. I like seeing some lower budget films get a chance to shine, and I do think it has an important message to share. Let freedom ring.

After I watched Sound of Freedom, I felt the same as having just watched The Road. It was a deeply powerful movie, but the subject matter is so disturbing that it's difficult to bear it.

Sound of Freedom is an expertly shot, gripping, and powerful movie. At the end, I wanted to cry and vomit, yet those are not criticisms of the movie, it's the realization that this sickness actually happens every day all over the world. This movie is The Road + Taken, and amped up 500 times.

Jim Cavezel gives an incredible performance. The directing, pacing, and cinematography are perfect. This is definitely one of the most powerful movies I've ever seen, yet I'll probably never watch it again, because my heart won't be able to take it.

"Sound of Freedom" fearlessly delves into the disturbing subject of child sex trafficking, shedding light on a growing and urgent problem. The film strikes a delicate balance by revealing the harsh realities without subjecting viewers to gratuitous and disturbing scenes. Its pacing allows the stories to unfold naturally, transitioning from heavy to hopeful and joyful moments, creating a compelling emotional journey. The beautiful cinematography showcases Colombia's landscapes and culture, respectfully. The film's impact is profound. My only criticism is that the film ends, leaving us with an urge for action but no direction on how to combat the crisis. It leaves an opportunity open where people naturally feel compelled to act but don't know how.

I was really impressed with this film. At first thought, I didn't think I wanted to watch a movie about child trafficking. I felt like they would have made it graphic and evil. But this movie didn't do that. Instead of making you feel disgusting inside about the awfulness of child trafficking, it instead made you hopeful that something can be done about it.

The overall cinematography, storytelling, and interesting music made this film a perfect set-up for a powerful message. I only took off the one star because I think some of the acting could have been slightly improved, but the film still got it's point across: God's children are not for sale!

First half is very original, chilling and strong, but it gets formulaic and predictable like a Mission Impossible episode toward the end. Mira Sorvino who plays the wife who allegedly inspired the real life hero of this story, could not have been on the screen for more than two minutes, which was a bit disappointing. After all the raves and earned press the film received, it's hard for it not to disappoint on some levels, but one still has to be in awe of the first film to expose the horrific truth about child sex trafficking originating in Latin America. I would have liked to see much more about consumer activity on the US side of the border, given that the US allegedly represents the biggest share of customers that keep this industry going. Perhaps a follow-up film needs to be made to show that side of the story and how the open border plays into it.